Valve mechanism for steam-radiators



(N0 Model.)

0M E N A R C mL R. DN. O0 ET Lm G I Mk PP. UML C I ml N B R P E L UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON HIPRENTICE, OF VVAUKEGAN, AND PETER R. MCLEOD, RICHARD T. CRANE,AND LAWRENCE PILKINGTON, OF CHICAGO, ASSIGNORS TO THE CRANE COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM-RADIATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,512, dated August9, 1892.

Application tiled June 14, 1890. Serial No. 355.466- (NO mOdS-L) To allwhom, t may concern.-

Be it known that we, LEON H. PRENTICE, of Waukegan, county of Lake, andPETER R. MoLEoD, RICHARD T. CRANE, and LAWRENCE PILKINGTON, of Chicago,county of Cook, State of Illinois, citizens of the United States, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Valve Mechanism forSteam- Radiators, which are fully set forth in the x o followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 represents a vertical section of al valve mechanismembodying our improvement, the cap and treadle being left entire;

r 5 Fig. 2, a detail vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,looking outward; Fig. 3, a plan section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1Fig. 4, a similar section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, aside elevation of the valve zo detached, and Fig. 6 a rear elevation ofthe same.

Our invention relates to valves designed especially for use withsteam-radiators for the purpose of shutting off and letting on steam tothe radiator.

The invention relates particularly to a valve belonging to the generalclass of slide-valves, but frequently called a gate-valve; andthe objectof our improvements is to provide for 3o the seating of the valve withcertainty when closed, the quick and ready opening and closing thereofby a full movement in either direction, and to enable the valve to bereadily opened and closed by the foot.

We will proceed to describe in detail the construction and operation ofa valve mechanism wherein We have embodied our invention in onepractical form, and willthen point out more definitely in claimstheimprovements 4o which we believe to be new and Wish to secure byLetters Patent.

In the drawings, A represents the valve-case or body, which is providedwith an inlet-port oJ at its lower end and an outlet-port d at one sidethereof arranged at right angles to the former. The4 steam-supply pipeis connected to the port a, while the port a connects with the radiator,so that steam is admitted to the interior of the case and thence to theradiator in the usual manner. The 5o outlet-port is surrounded by aslightly-raised rim a2, which provides a seat for the valve B. Thisvalve is arranged to slide vertically in front of this port a', and isprovided upon its face with a bearing-ring h of soft metal set in 5 5the face of the valve and adapted to bear upon the seat a2 when thevalve is in its closed position, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Atthe back of the valve there is a projection Z9', the face of which isinclined downward and 6o inward and has narrowv anges b5 at the sideedges, as seen in said Fig. 1. The valve is also provided with acircular iiange b2, set up slightly from the top thereof and projectingoutward somewhat beyond the face of the valve, as seen in Fig. 1. Thisflange serves as a cap, which fits down over the upper portion of theport a', which projects inward somewhat from the side of the circularcasing, so that when the valve is completely closed 7o this flange willstrike and rest upon the metal at this point, as seen in Fig. 1, and

`will extend over and downward upon each side thereof somewhat, as seenin Fig. 2, thereby properly centering the valve and preventing lateralmovement. The rising for this iiange commences a little back of thevalveface, so that there is a slight free space between the flange andthe upper edge of the valve, as seen in Fig. 1. At the back and 8o upperend of the valve there is also a projecting lug b3, which extendsbackward about as far as the inclined or wedge-shaped projection b', andis forked for the purpose of receiving the valve-stem C. This stern isan ordinary round rod with an annular groove c cut around it near itslower end, and the arms of the fork b4 embrace this diminished sectionof the stem. The width of the groove in the stem is somewhat greaterthan the thickness of the 9o forked lug, and as the valve is connectedto its stem by the latter it is evident that there may be a slightmovement of one independent of the other. The lower extremity of thestem below the coupling-point is cut away at one side on an inclinationcorresponding to the inclination of the Wedge-shaped projection b andiitting between its iianges b5, so that at the lower end of thevalve-stem there is a short wedge-shaped section c with its inclinationthe reverse of the wedge at the back of the valve and which may have aslight vertical movement upon the latter by reason of the looseconnection between the stem and the valve just described. The top of thecase is contracted to form a small neck a3, which is externally threadedat its upper end to accommodate a cap-nut D, which is suitably packed toserve as a kind of stuiing-box for the valve-stem, which passes upthrough this neck and cap. There is also an openin g a4 in the back ofthe case, which is suiiiciently large to permit the valve to be passedthrough it into the case for attachment and adjustment. This opening isclosed by a screw-plug E, and upon the back orinner face of this plugthere is a lug or projection e, extending directlyinfVV ward toward theport a. This lug is of snc length that when the valve is moved downwardto close the port the back of the stem will come in contact therewith,as seen in Fig. 1, thereby setting the valve up firmly to its seat, andany looseness occasioned by wear will be completely taken up by theindependent movement of the stem upon the valve by reason of the looseconnection, already described, the inclined face of the stem acting uponthe inclined projection at the back of the valve to set the valve firmlyupon its seat and preventing lateral movement by the flanges on theinclined back, between which it is iitted. A short lever F is pivoted tothe upper end of the valve-stem and its short arm is pivoted to theupper end of the link G, the lower end of which is pivoted to lugs g onthe side of the casing. The other or long arm of the lever is bentdownward and outward and terminates in a fiat stepf. This levertherefore is shaped for a treadle-lever, so that the valve may bereadily opened and closed by the foot.

The movement is also quick, and as the range of the lever is not greatthere is almost certainty of throwing the valve to its complete limit ateach movement, so that it will be either fully closed or completelyopened, as the case may be, and when the valve is closed it will alwaysbe perfectly and accurately seated by means of the devices at the topand back thereof, already described.

In details of construction there may be changes without losing the mainfeatures of our invention, the construction and operation of which havebeen set forth, and such changes are contemplated by us in themanufacture and application of this valve.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The valve-case A, provided with the outlet-port a', in combinationwith the sliding valve B, provided with a flange b2 at its upper endadapted to t upon and over the metal at the upper part of the port,substantially as shown and described.

2. The valve-stem C, provided with a wedgeshaped lower end c and anannular groove c just above the latter, in combination with the valve B,provided with the inclined back b' and forked lug b4 of less thicknessthan the width of the said groove, and the block E, fitted to theopening in the back of the case and having a projecting lug e extendingwithin the case to the back of the valve, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

LEON II. PRENTICE. PETER R. MCLEOD. RICHARD T. CRANE. LAWRENCEPILKINGTON.

Witnesses:

A. M. BEST, CARRIE FEIGEL.

